Preoperative embolization in the treatment of spinal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma--a case report.

Metastatic lesions due to renal cell carcinoma are frequently hypervascular. Surgical treatment of these lesions results in excessive operative blood loss. Bleeding may result in technical difficulties and complications during the operation. When surgical treatment of hypervascular spinal metastases is indicated, preoperative embolization, although technically demanding, has been effective in devascularizing these lesions and is an adjunct to internal fixation.